


Best Served Cold

by exmachinarium



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-30 01:06:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11452791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exmachinarium/pseuds/exmachinarium
Summary: A minor injury gives Gojyo some time to count his blessings (literally).





	Best Served Cold

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for Gojyo's birthday over at LJ back in 2015 and I have no idea what took me so long to post it here, because I'm actually ridiculously fond of it. Oh well, no time like now, with the new series just hitting it off. Enjoy!

Gojyo sincerely hoped that when this whole deal came to a close and got immortalized for future generations, the script would go through some massive editorial makeover; mostly in terms of cutting out the miles and miles of horrible, gut-wrenching boredom of the journey itself (a test of patience even for the most dedicated readers). Even the fights seemed repetitive at this point, with occasional grave injuries as the only entertainment (Hakkai would scowl at the choice of words for sure).

Actually, scratch that. Sometimes even a twisted ankle could become an injury memorable enough to measure time by. Especially if it resulted from tripping over the one dead tree in the whole damn desert. Gojyo really deserved a pat on the back for such a magnificent feat - but of course the only thing he got was an earful of insults and several paper fan swats. Luckily, the almighty Sanzo allowed his humble servants to stop in the nearest town to lick their wounds. Metaphorically, of course.

Days Without Sanzo Blowing A Fuse For No Reason At All counter was back to zero. Not that it ever had a chance to go anywhere past two anyway.

Gojyo stretched back on the bed, staring at the ceiling and sort of wishing Hakkai was back already. When he wanted to go downstairs, get a drink and find some busty ladies to chat up, the team's healer-slash-nagging caretaker ordered him to stay in the room, put as little pressure on his newly-fixed leg as possible, and, what was the third one? Ah, yes. Count his blessings if he gets bored.

It didn't hurt to try, actually.

For starters, he was alive - that surely counted for something. The ankle wasn't even hurting that much any more. He had some cigarettes in stock (the fact he took advantage of the moment he was left alone). And they managed to get two rooms for two, half a blessing point for that one.

Plus another half since Hakkai, who chose that exact moment to enter the picture (speak of the devil, huh?), remembered to get him a beer.

"Sure took your sweet time," Gojyo muttered around the cigarette in greeting.

"I had a serious problem getting through the crowds of well-endowed women, all greatly disappointed by your absence at the bar," Hakkai hummed pleasantly, the corners of his mouth twitching in a smile.

"Aww, man, I knew listening to you was a bad idea."

Gojyo sat up, extinguished the cigarette against the sole of his shoe (smirking when he heard a soft 'tsk' above his head), then immediately went to light another.

Which was then promptly plucked from his mouth practically mid-drag.

"Hey! What are you-" The protest died on his lips when Hakkai deftly placed the dimly glowing cigarette in the stay tab of the beer can which he then handed to Gojyo with a wide grin.

Oh.

Trust Hakkai to keep a nearly obsessive track of time, irrelevant dates included.

"Just say you didn't want to waste cash on the real deal. Cheapskate." Gojyo laughed, but took his birthday "cake" anyway and raised it to salute Hakkai.

"This seemed more appropriate. I could've always gone for juice, mind you." Hakkai sat back on his own bed, nursing another beer can between his slender fingers. "And Sanzo was pretty adamant you did not deserve any treats after today, especially ones that would knock you even more off balance. You may now smoke your candle, by the way."

"Do I have to make a wish, too?"

Hakkai just smiled over the rim of his can in response.

Yeah, Gojyo mused, finally taking a proper drag; better not. You never knew who might be listening and laughing their ass off at how naive you were.

So up theirs.

Life's best enjoyed in the here and now anyway.


End file.
